Toy racetracks are popular among children of varied ages, and a variety of track configurations have previously been provided that include various features, such as traps, loops, stunts, and the like to add to the excitement a child experiences while playing with the toy. For instance, toy racetracks have been provided having moveable track sections, and other toy racetracks have been provided that include various targets that are intended to be struck by either projectiles that are secondary to the toy vehicles or by the toy vehicles themselves in an effort to require the user to exercise some level of skill while enjoying the racetrack.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,789 to Halford et al. discloses a toy racetrack having a moveable hoop through which the user must launch their toy vehicle.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 8,192,246 to Ostendorff et al. discloses a toy racetrack including a shield that a user's toy vehicle must strike after leaving a section of racetrack in order to bounce into a receptacle.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,382,553 to O'Connor discloses a toy racetrack having both moveable track portions and various projectiles, projectile launchers, and targets throughout a track relay configuration.
Still further, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2013/0109271 to Ferreyra et al. discloses a toy racetrack with a gap and a catapult mechanism for launching the toy vehicle across the gap.
The specifications of each of the foregoing are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
While the foregoing configurations do provide various racetracks that require some exercise of skill by the user, and that are capable of varying the configuration of certain portions of the racetracks, there remains an ongoing need to provide toy racetrack features capable of maintaining the interest of a child and increasing the excitement and amusement they experience when playing with a toy racetrack. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a toy racetrack that further enhances the excitement and amusement offered to a child as they engage in such play, and more particularly that includes a loop portion that can transform from an open hoop through which the user attempts to launch their toy vehicle to a racing loop that the user attempts to traverse, requiring the user to launch their toy vehicle at the required speeds in order achieve such goals.